HOLLYWOOD legend Sean Penn wept for a dead Ukrainian fighter ace pal whom he took to see Top Gun Maverick.
The tough guy actor got emotional on Piers Morgan’s TalkTV show tonight as he revealed how he dedicated his Ukrainian war documentary to the pilot whose call sign was Juice.
Piers Morgan UncensoredSean Penn broke down in tears on Piers Morgan Uncensored while speaking about his dead Ukrainian fighter pal[/caption]
Piers Morgan UncensoredThe Hollywood actor dedicated his Ukraine war documentary to his friend, known as Juice[/caption]
The pair became close friends while making the film and he was left heartbroken when the star aviator died in a plane crash.
Penn said it was a hugely sad moment when he heard the news and added: “It’s personalised, and it’s personalised tens of thousands of times.”
The Oscar winner travelled to Ukraine seven times with his film crew to make Superpower, a documentary about the war which premiered in February at the Berlin International Film Festival.
The original plan was for it to be a film about President Volodymyr Zelensky’s unlikely journey from comic actor to successful politician.
But then Russia invaded and it was changed to a film about Ukraine’s heroic resistance, summed up by Juice.
He and Penn became such close pals that they went to see Tom Cruise’s Top Gun sequel in Washington DC.
Penn, 63, said: “I would like to say we became friends. We kept in touch after we spent time in Washington.
“He was a great leader. He is a guy who believed he owed his country his service.
“Most people know that movie, Top Gun Maverick, and we were watching it in D.C.
“I was sitting next to him and he leaned over at one point after Tom Cruise had ejected and found his way in his dusty flight suit to the diner, and he leaned over and he said, ‘That’s why I always take my wallet’.”
Juice died in a training crash in August.
Following his death, Eric Swalwell, an American lawyer and politician, took to Instagram to pay tribute to the Ukrainian fighter pilot as he posted a photo of him, Jucie, and Penn.
He wrote: “Rest in Peace, Juice.
“We lost a Ukrainian fighter pilot — leader of the Ghost of Kyiv unit.
“I promised Juice I’d keep working to get fighter jets to Ukraine.
“Their fight for freedom is our fight”.
Penn has called on American President Joe Biden to do more to support Ukraine including sending fighter jets.
He repeats the demand to boost military aid on the show when he says: “We need to step up. Every day is another opportunity.”
And he also reveals he uses toilet paper with Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin’s face on it.
Piers asks him: “Have you really?” and he replies: “Yes, somebody gave it to me.”
It comes after the Hollywood actor gave Zelensky one of his Oscars last year, and in a heartfelt message, told the president to return it when Ukraine defeats Russia.
Penn, who won acting Oscars in 2003 and 2008, pulled the statuette out of a bag, telling Mr Zelensky: “When you win, bring it back to Malibu.
“I feel much better knowing there is a piece of me here.”
The actor, who has been involved in numerous international humanitarian and anti-war efforts, told President Zelensky that every time he leaves Ukraine he feels like a traitor.
During their meeting in November 2022, Zelenskyy presented Penn with an award, the Ukrainian Order of Merit, which is given to citizens for outstanding achievements in economics, science, culture, or military or political activity.
GettySean Penn handed President Zelensky one of his Oscars – only to be returned when his country secured victory over Russia[/caption]
Penn met the president during his third trip to the countryGetty